Shoe or boot with an integrated electrical device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a shoe having an electrical device integrated in the shoe, an operating part for manual control of the device by means of at least one operating element of the operating part, an electrical contact element which is connected to the device via an electrical conductor, a housing for the electrical contact element, a housing part of the housing which is connected securely to the shoe having a recess for receiving the contact element in the recess, the housing having a closing element which is connected securely to the housing part and covers the recess in a closed position of the closing element, the closing element having a first connection element and the housing part having a second connection element which can be connected detachably to the first connection element for fixing the closing element in the closed position.

The invention relates to a shoe having a sole, an upper and anelectrical device integrated in the shoe, in particular a heating deviceof the shoe, an operating part for manual control or operation of thedevice, an electrical contact element, and having a housing for theelectrical contact element.

There should be understood here by the term shoe all types of shoes.There are hence possible as shoe, both boots, such as for instancewalking boots, ski boots, wellingtons or work boots, and also shoes,such as for instance walking shoes, sports shoes or golf shoes. The shoecomprises a sole (base) and an upper (upper part). The mentioned devicecan concern for example a heating device of the shoe. The devicegenerally includes an electrical energy store which can likewise beintegrated in the shoe. It is known to charge the device with anexternal battery charger via the contact element.

The housing for the contact element typically serves to protect thecontact element from external influences, such as for instancevibrations, impacts, moisture or contamination. A further object of thehousing can reside in avoiding undesired electrical contacting of thecontact element, for example with an electrically charged orelectrically conducting body.

In order to fulfil these tasks, the housing of a conventional genericshoe includes a housing part which is securely connected to the shoe andtypically has a recess for receiving the contact element in this recess.As a result of the fact that the housing part circumscribes orencapsulates the contact element in the recess spatially at least inregions, the contact element is protected from the external influencesmentioned above to a certain degree. Frequently, this recess isconfigured in the form of an undercut so that only a relatively smallaccess opening in the recess is produced, through which the contactelement disposed in the recess is accessible from outside, for exampleby a plug of a battery charger which is inserted into the recess throughthe access opening for contacting with the contact element.

It is frequently attempted to prevent penetration of moisture and/ordirt up to the contact element by means of a particularly small ornarrow shaping of this access opening. Nevertheless, sufficientprotection of the contact element cannot always be achieved in this way.

The shoe proposed here is therefore intended to ensure particularlyreliable protection of the contact element from external influences,such as from the above-mentioned external influences, and neverthelessto offer easy accessibility of the contact element.

The shoe proposed here is intended in addition to make it possible toseparate as many as possible of the electrical components of the shoe,i.e. in particular the contact element, and as far as possible also acontrol unit of the device contained typically in the operating part,from the shoe without great complexity and to be able to connect themlater again to the shoe. In this way, it is intended to be possible torepair the relevant components or to exchange them or even to keep themseparate from the shoe, for example in order to be able to clean theshoe thoroughly without running the risk of damaging these electricalcomponents of the shoe.

This object is achieved by a shoe according to the main claim.Developments and special embodiments of the shoe are revealed in thedependent claims.

In the shoe according to the invention which is proposed here and has asole and an upper, an electrical device, for example a heating device isaccordingly integrated and can include one or more electrical energystores. The device includes a control unit for controlling the device,for example for adjusting a heating power of the mentioned heatingdevice. The control unit can be connected for this purpose viaelectrical lines to other components of the device, such as for instancethe mentioned energy store or one or more heating elements. In addition,the shoe has an operating part connected to the upper for manualoperation of the device via the control unit. For this purpose, theoperating part can have one or more, preferably two, operating elements,such as keys, push buttons, control knobs or switches, for manualoperation of the control unit via these operating elements.

The shoe according to the invention includes in addition an electricalcontact element and also a housing for this contact element, the housinghaving a housing part which is connected securely to the upper. Thehousing part can have a receiving means for the contact element, intowhich the contact element can be received partially or preferablycompletely. The receiving means can be configured for example as arecess of the housing part, into which recess the contact element can bereceived partially or preferably completely.

The device is connected or can be connected preferably via an electricalconductor to the contact element. The device can have an electricalenergy store which is chargeable preferably via the mentioned electricalconductor and the contact element, for example via an electrical batterycharger which can be connected to the contact element.

The housing has a closing element which can be moved into a closedposition, the closing element covering the contact element partially orpreferably completely. If the housing part has the above-mentionedreceiving means or recess, this receiving means or recess is coveredpartially or preferably completely by the closing element provided thatthis is situated in the closed position.

In one embodiment, the closing element has a first connection elementand the housing part has a second connection element which can beconnected detachably to the first connection element (for example in aform-fit and/or frictionally) and with which the closing element can befixed in the closed position. In order for instance to open thementioned receiving means or the recess and to make the contact elementpossibly contained therein accessible, this connection between closingelement and housing part is released and the closing element is movedout of the closed position.

The closing element is connected securely to the housing part,preferably by a flexible, elastic intermediate part, so that the closingelement is not mislaid. This intermediate part is connected preferablyintegrally to the housing part and the closing element or configured inone piece with the closing element or the housing part.

As a result of the fact that the contact element can be coveredpartially or preferably completely with the closing element which can beprovided for example by a flap or a cover, it is achieved that thecontact element (possibly contained in the receiving means or recess)can be protected effectively by the closing element from the mentionedexternal influences, such as for instance soiling or moisture.

Preferably, the closing element is configured in such a manner that itseals the contact element or the receiving means or the recesscompletely against moisture.

The housing part can be manufactured from a plastic material.Preferably, the housing part is manufactured from a flexible and/orelastic material. The closing element can also be manufactured from aplastic material. Preferably, the closing element is manufactured(likewise) from a flexible and/or elastic material. The use of flexibleand/or elastic materials for the housing part and/or the closing elementhas the advantage of being pliable and hence of ensuring better wearingcomfort of the shoe. For the housing part and the closing element thereare therefore possible, for example thermoplastic elastomers (TPE),thermoplastic (poly)urethanes (TPU), rubber-like materials andsilicones.

For connection of the housing part to the upper, the housing part canhave a flange which surrounds the mentioned receiving means or recesspreferably over the entire circumference. The flange can be connected orbecome connected securely, integrally and/or in a form-fit, for exampleby sewing, glueing, vulcanising or similar methods, to the upper or toan outer casing of the upper. Apart from by means of a flange, thehousing part can of course also be connected to the shoe in a differentway, a flange being however the preferred variant since it allows aparticularly reliable and compact connection.

In a preferred embodiment, the contact element can be removed manuallyfrom the receiving means or recess of the housing part. This can beachieved by providing exclusively a connection between the contactelement and the housing part which is releasable and restorable manuallyin an easy way and which can be imparted for example by a frictionalconnection and/or form-fit but not for instance by an integralconnection. Removability of the contact element from the receiving meansor recess improves the accessibility of the contact element forproducing an electrical contact to the contact element, for example withan energy- or voltage source, such as for instance a battery charger. Inaddition, if the contact element is configured as a plug, this can beinserted particularly easily into a corresponding socket.

It is provided in a further development that the receiving means or therecess is shaped corresponding to the contact element by means of asexact a shape adaptation of the housing part as possible in the regionof the receiving means or recess to an outer contour of the contactelement. As a result, it can be achieved that the contact element can beretained particularly securely in the receiving means or recess (forinstance by frictional and/or contact forces) since, due to the shapeadaptation, a particularly large contact surface between the contactelement and the housing part can be achieved. It can also be providedthat the housing part has at least one retaining element in and/or onthe receiving means or on the recess, for example in the form of alocking lug or a clip, in order to fix the contact element in thereceiving means or recess.

Furthermore, the housing part can have a recessed grip or two or morerecessed grips which abuts or abut directly against the receiving meansor recess of the contact element. As a result, manual removal of thecontact element from the receiving means or recess can be facilitated.

In one embodiment, an upper edge of the receiving means or recessextends within a plane defined by the above-mentioned flange of thehousing part. It is also possible that this upper edge of the recess isdisposed recessed in the housing part relative to this flange. As aresult, a particularly compact configuration of the housing part withonly a small constructional height of the housing part can be achievedin many cases. For example, it is possible to connect the housing to theupper by means of the flange such that the housing thereby protrudesonly slightly beyond an outer surface of the shoe. It can also beprovided that the operating part and/or the housing, provided that theclosing element is situated in the closed position, terminates flushwith the upper or at least protrudes outwards beyond the upper (10) byno more than 5 mm, preferably no more than 3 mm. This in turn has theadvantage that the housing and hence also the contact element containedin the housing can be protected particularly well from externalinfluences, such as for instance impacts or other mechanical influences,or from inadvertent removal of the closing element out of the closedposition. For this purpose, it can also be provided that the receivingmeans or the recess for the contact element is disposed completely or atleast partially below the upper, i.e. the receiving means or the recessfor the contact element is disposed completely or at least partiallybelow an outer surface of the upper. Correspondingly, it is likewiseadvantageous if the operating part likewise has a receiving means forthe control unit of the device and this receiving means is disposedcompletely or at least partially below the upper, i.e. an outer surfaceof the upper.

In a further development which is distinguished by particularly easyoperability and reliability of the closing element, it is provided thatthe first connection element of the closing element and the secondconnection element of the housing part are configured as correspondinglocking elements which can be brought into a form-fit engagement witheach other for fixing the closing element in the closed position. Theselocking elements respectively can be configured in the shape of alocking lug, a bead, a rim or as indentations or bulges which areconfigured in another manner or combinations hereof. In particular, itis possible that the housing part has a channel-shaped further recesswhich surrounds the first-mentioned recess (for receiving the contactelement) preferably over the entire circumference. The second connectionelement of the housing part is then preferably configured as a lockingelement which is disposed on an upper edge of this further recess, forexample in the form of a rim, a locking lug, a bead or the like. Thefirst connection element of the closing element can be received ascompletely as possible in this further recess as soon as the closingelement is situated in the closed position. In this way, a particularlyeffective sealing effect by the closing element can be achieved, on theone hand, with only a small constructional height of the housing.

It is also possible that the first connection element and/or the secondconnection element comprise Velcro elements which are likewise easy tooperate and allow reliable fixing of the closing element in the closingposition with merely a small constructional height.

Inside the recess for receiving the contact element, the housing partcan have a through-opening, through which an electrical conductorconnected to the contact element can be led or is led. (Thisthrough-opening should be differentiated from the above-mentioned accessopening of the recess which is delimited by the upper edge of the recessand which can be closed by the closing element.) This conductor has theobject of connecting the contact element to an electrical device, inparticular to an energy store.

Preferably, this through-opening is dimensioned such that the conductorcan be pushed through this through-opening or can be pulled through it,for instance in the case of the above-described manual removal of thecontact element from the recess, in the case of which the conductor isnot separated from the contact element. In addition, it can be providedthat the contact element can also be pushed or pulled through thisthrough-opening.

For this purpose, the housing part can be manufactured completely or atleast in the vicinity of this through-opening from an elastic and/orflexible material in order to enable or facilitate such a movement ofthe contact element and/or of the conductor through the through-opening.By means of leading the contact element and/or the conductor throughthis through-opening in the recess, the contact element together withthe electrical conductor connected to the contact element can beseparated from the housing manually and without further aids. This is ofparticular advantage for example when the housing is connected securelyto the shoe and the contact element is intended to be exchanged or theshoe is intended to be cleaned and the contact element must be separatedfrom the shoe for this purpose.

In a further development, the recess includes an additional receivingregion so that, in addition to the contact element, also an end-part ofthe electrical conductor connected to the contact element can bereceived in the recess or in this receiving region. In this way, removalof the contact element from the recess, on the one hand, and withdrawalof the contact element from the recess can be achieved up to a length ofthe end-part. In addition, it is subsequently possible to stow away theend-part again inside the recess.

As already described above, the mentioned conductor can be led through athrough-opening through the housing part. This through-opening ispreferably disposed in the recess of the housing part. In this way, itcan be achieved in particular that the contact element can be removedfrom the recess or can be separated even entirely from the housing partwithout thereby separating the connection between the contact elementand the conductor.

The contact element can be configured for example as a plug, for examplefor inserting the plug in a socket configured corresponding to the plug,for example of an electrical energy source, for example for energysupply of the device. In particular if this plug, as described above,can be removed from the recess and preferably subsequently pulledforward again a little bit, such insertion in a socket can beimplemented very easily.

In a further embodiment of the shoe, it is provided that the operatingpart includes a first moulded part which is connected securely to theupper of the shoe and which can have the mentioned at least oneoperating element. The operating part includes in addition a secondmoulded part which can have a receiving means for the above-mentionedcontrol unit of the device and which can be connected preferablydetachably to the first moulded part. In this way, the control unittogether with the second moulded part can be separated manually, i.e. byhand and without further aids, from the upper and connected again to theupper at a later time. This is advantageous in particular when thecarrier or the clothing part is intended to be washed or when thecontrol unit must be exchanged because of a defect. Advantageously, alsothe contact element can be separated manually from the shoe and possiblyalso exchanged at the same time through the housing proposed here forthe contact element. Hence, the combination of the housing and operatingpart proposed here offers particularly simple and convenient handling ofthe shoe and, at the same time, high protection for the sensitivecontrol unit and the contact element. Since in principle higher wear andtear, attrition and defects, such as for instance short circuits, canresult precisely to these two electrical components as a result offrequent use and mechanical stress, simple manual exchangeability ofprecisely these two components is particularly advantageous. Inconventional shoes, these components often cannot in contrast beseparated from the shoe without further aids or not without furtherdamage to these components, the housing, the operating part or theupper.

Preferably, the first moulded part has at least one first retainingelement and, furthermore, the second moulded part has at least onesecond retaining element, the two retaining elements being able to bebrought into mutual engagement for producing a detachable connectionbetween the first moulded part and the second moulded part. These twomoulded parts hence form an encapsulation for the control unit whichprotects it from external influences.

For example, it is possible that one of the at least one first retainingelement is configured as a rim, locking lug or bead which preferablycompletely surrounds the first moulded part or that one of the at leastone second retaining element is configured as a rim, locking lug or beadwhich preferably completely surrounds the second moulded part. As aresult, a particularly stable and possibly also water-tight connectionbetween the first and the second moulded part can be produced.

The second moulded part can have a hole which is disposed preferably inthe receiving means for the control unit for leading electrical lines,in particular control lines, through the second moulded part. Thereceiving means can be configured as a recess in the second mouldedpart.

The receiving means or the recess can be covered for example by aprotective covering, such as for instance a protective foil or aprotective cover. There are possible for the protective covering (justas for the first and the second moulded part) the same materials whichwere mentioned above for the housing for the contact element, i.e. inparticular silicone. By means of the protective covering, the controlunit can be protected particularly well, for example from moisture,spray water, contamination or mechanical influences, even if the secondmoulded part is separated from the first moulded part. Preferably, theprotective covering is connected integrally to the second moulded part,for instance by glueing with silicone or another adhesive, and in factpreferably with a region or flange of the second moulded part whichsurrounds the receiving means. In this way, the protection class with IPcode 54 (IP54) can be achieved. In addition, by means of a protectivecovering, the control unit can be prevented from falling out of thereceiving means unintentionally, if the moulded parts are not connectedto each other. It is also possible to fill the receiving means entirelyor partially with an adhesive, such as for instance silicone, beforeinserting the control unit and subsequently to insert the control unitin the receiving means. In this way, the control unit is fixedparticularly well and protected from external influences.

Further embodiments of the operating part can be deduced from the patentapplication U.S. 61/544,392, the content of which is herewithincorporated in its entirety into the present patent application.

The first moulded part of the operating part is connected securely tothe upper of the shoe, preferably via the flange of the first mouldedpart, for example by sewing, glueing to the carrier or by vulcanising.

In principle, it is also possible to equip another clothing part,instead of the shoe, with the housing and operating part proposed here.Therefore, the term “shoe” could be replaced, in the preceding andsubsequent description, in general by “clothing part” and “upper” byouter casing. There are possible inter alia as clothing part: glove,jacket, trousers, pullover, cap, sleeping bag and cover.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the specialembodiments shown in the subsequent Figures. There are shown:

FIG. 1 a a schematic overview over components of a shoe of the typeproposed here,

FIG. 1 b cross-section through an operating part of a shoe of the typeproposed here,

FIG. 1 c cross-section through a housing for a contact element of a shoeof the type proposed here,

FIGS. 2 a to 2 d two special embodiments of a shoe of the type proposedhere in different views,

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b detailed views of the housing part of the housingshown in FIG. 1 c,

FIG. 3 c further development of the housing part shown in FIGS. 3 a and3 b,

FIG. 4 view of the housing shown in FIG. 1 c,

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b further views of the housing shown in FIG. 1 c,

FIG. 6 a detailed view of the housing shown in FIGS. 2 d and 2 e.

Repeated reference numbers thereby mark the same or correspondingfeatures.

In FIG. 1 a, individual components of a shoe 1 of the type proposed hereand electrical connections between these components are representedschematically. Some of these components of the shoe 1 are in particulara housing 2 and an operating part 19. A preferred embodiment of theoperating part 19 is shown in FIG. 1 b, a preferred embodiment of thehousing 2 in FIG. 1 c respectively in a detailed, schematicrepresentation.

A schematic representation of an outer view on a preferred embodiment ofa shoe 1 of the type proposed here with the components shown in FIG. 1 ais represented in FIGS. 2 a-2 c. A further embodiment is shown in FIGS.2 d and 2 e which differs from the embodiment shown in. FIGS. 2 a-2 cmerely by the configuration of the housing 2. As can be detected fromthese representations, the shoe 1 concerns respectively a boot, forexample a walking boot.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 c, the housing 2 includes a housingpart 3 which has a recess 4 in which an electrical contact element 5 canbe received. The housing 2 has furthermore a closing element 6 which isconnected securely to the housing part 3 and, as shown in FIG. 1 c, issituated in a closed position in which the closing element 6 covers therecess 4 of the housing part 3 completely and in a water-tight manner.

The closing element 6 has a first connection element 7 which isconfigured as a rim or bead which completely surrounds an edge of theclosing element 6. The housing part 3 has a second connection element 8which is formed likewise as a rim or bead which is disposed on an upperedge 11 of the recess 4 and hence completely surrounds the recess 4circumferentially.

The first closing element 7 and the second closing element 8 areconfigured as locking elements which can be connected to each otherdetachably by mutual rear-engagement in order to fix the closing element6 in this way in the closed position. By means of the closing element 6,the recess 4 and hence also the contact element 5 contained therein isprotected completely from external influences, such as for instance dirtand moisture.

The housing part 2 has in addition a flange 9 which surrounds the recess4 over the entire circumference and which is sewn to an upper 10 of theshoe 1, as represented in FIGS. 2 a to 2 e.

The upper edge 11 of the recess 4 is situated in a plane defined by theflange 9. However it could also be disposed further recessed in thehousing part 3 in order to ensure in this way an even flatterconstructional shape of the housing 2 which then protrudes even lessbeyond the carrier 4. As can be detected with reference to FIGS. 1 b and1 c, the housing 2 and also the operating part (19) are flush with theupper (10) and protrude by no more than 5 mm, preferably no more than 3mm, beyond the upper (10) externally (i.e. at the top in the Figures).

The housing part 3 and also the closing element 6 of the housing 2 aremanufactured from an elastic, flexible material which is provided in thepresent case by silicone.

The housing part 3 has in addition a further recess 12 which is formedas a channel which surrounds the recess 4 over the entire circumferenceand into which the first connection element 7 engages. In this way, theclosing element 6 also protrudes only slightly beyond the flange 9.

Inside the recess 4, the housing part 3 has a through-opening 13 throughwhich an electrical conductor 14 is led. The electrical conductor 14 isconnected by one end to the contact element 5 and, by another end, to anelectrical, controllable device 15 of the shoe 1, as is shown in FIG. 1a.

The device 15 in this example is configured as a heating device and hasan energy store 16 which can be charged by an external battery charger(not shown here) via the contact element 5,

The device 15 includes a plurality of heating elements 17 configured asheating wires (only one is illustrated in FIG. 1 a) which are connectedto the energy store 16 in an electrically conducting manner. The heatingelements 17 and also the energy store 16 can be integrated for examplein an insole of a boot or in a glove or in a different item of theclothing parts mentioned above. As a result of the fact that the housingpart 3 consists of a flexible, elastic material, the contact element 5can be pushed or pulled through the through-opening 13. Hence thecontact element 5 can be separated for example from the housing 2 andsubsequently inserted again into the housing 2. This has the advantagethat the contact element 5 can also be detached from the carrier 10although the housing part 3 is connected securely to the carrier. Inaddition, it is possible, after the closing element 6 which isconfigured as a cover has been removed from the recess 4, to pull thecontact element 5 upwards out of the recess 4 by a small distance, theelectrical conductor 14 being able to be led a little further throughthe through-opening. In this way, it is particularly simple to plug thecontact element 5, which is configured in this embodiment as a plug,into a socket of a battery charger (not shown here) in order to chargethe energy store 16.

The device 15 can be controlled via a control unit 18 of the device 15,via which various heating levels or power levels of the device 15 can beadjusted. The control unit 18 is disposed inside an operating unit 19 ofthe system 1, as is shown in the embodiment represented schematically inFIG. 1 b.

The operating part 19 has a first moulded part 20 which is connectedsecurely to the carrier 10 via a flange 21 of the first moulded part 20by means of sewing and has two operating elements 22 which areconfigured as keys and via which the control unit 18 can be operatedmanually in order to set different heating levels. The operating part 19includes in addition a second moulded part 23 which has a receivingmeans 24 which is configured as a recess and in which the control unit18 is received. The receiving means 24 is covered by a foil-likeprotective covering 34 so that the control unit 18 is also protectedfrom moisture and dust when the second moulded part 23 is not connectedto the first moulded part 20. The protective covering 34 and also thefirst and second moulded part 20, 23 respectively are manufactured fromsilicone, the protective covering 34 being connected (glued) integrallyto the second moulded part 23 by a silicone adhesive. The receivingmeans 24 is likewise filled with silicone adhesive below the controlunit 18 in order to achieve a material connection between the receivingmeans 24 and the control unit by means of this silicone adhesive.

As can be detected in FIGS. 1 b and 1 c, both the control unit 18 andthe contact element 5 are disposed (at least partially) below an outersurface 10′ of the upper 10 and hence are protected particularly wellfrom external influences, such as for instance impacts.

In addition, the first moulded part 20 includes a first retainingelement 25 and the second moulded part 23 includes a second retainingelement 26, the two retaining elements 25, 26 being brought into mutualengagement in order to produce a detachable connection between the firstmoulded part 20 and the second moulded part 23. By means of the twomoulded parts 20, 23 of the operating part 19 which are connected toeach other, the control unit 18 is completely encapsulated and protectedin this way from external influences, such as for example from dirt andmoisture. The two moulded parts 20, 23 are manufactured from an elasticmaterial, such as silicone. As a result, it is particularly simple toconnect the two retaining elements 25, 26 to each other or again todetach them from each other. In addition, the wearing comfort of thecarrier 10 can be increased, if this is for instance a clothing part, bythe flexibility of the operating part 19 and of the housing 2.

The second moulded part 23 has a hole 27 through which a control line 28is led, which control line connects the control unit 18 to the energystore 16, and also a further control line 28′ which connects the controlunit to the heating element 17. Via the control lines 28 and 28′, anelectrical power is transferred to the heating element from the energystore 16 via the control unit 18 according to the heating level set bythe operating elements 22 so that said heating element is heated to agreater or lesser extent according to the heating level.

In FIG. 2 a, in particular the operating part 19 of the shoe 1 can bedetected, having the operating elements 22 for operating the controlunit contained in the operating part 19. The operating part 19 isdisposed on an outer side of the shoe 1 and connected securely to theouter casing 10 of the shoe.

In FIGS. 2 b and 2 c, the inside of the shoe 1 can be seen, on which thehousing 2 of the shoe 1 is connected securely to the outer casing 10 ofthe shoe 1. In. FIG. 2 b, the closing element 6 is situated in theclosed position in which the closing element 6 covers and seals therecess 4. In FIG. 2 c, the closing element 6 is opened. In addition, thecontact element 5 which is configured as a plug and is pulled out a.little from the recess 4 can be detected. The connection elements withwhich the closing element 6 is fixed in the closed position shown inFIG. 2 b are configured as locking elements in this embodiment, as shownin FIG. 1 c.

In the second of the two mentioned embodiments of the shoe 1, which isrepresented schematically in FIGS. 2 d and 2 e, the connection elementsof the housing 2 are designed as Velcro elements 29.

In FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, the housing part 3 of the housing 2 shown in FIGS.1 c, 2 b and 2 c is represented schematically in a detailed viewdiagonally from above, one with and one without contact element 5, theclosing element however not being shown. The features of the housingpart 3 have hereby been provided with the corresponding referencenumbers. As can be detected in FIG. 3 a, the contact element 5 isreceived in a form-fit in a rim which is formed in the recess 4 andwhich has the complementary shape of the contact element 5. As a resultof the elasticity of the rim and the friction between contact element 5and rim, the contact element 5 is retained securely.

The housing part 3 shown in FIG. 3 c differs from that shown in FIGS. 3a and 3 b by recessed grips 31, a receiving region 32 in which anend-part of the conductor 14 can be stowed away, and also by retainingelements 33 which are configured as locking lugs and with which thecontact element 5 can be fixed particularly securely in the receivingmeans 4.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 a, the housing 2 shown in FIGS. 1 c, 2 b and 2 c isrepresented in a view diagonally from above, the closing element 6 beingshown in the closed position—in contrast to the representations shown inFIGS. 3 a to 3 c. In addition, an intermediate part 30 can be detectedwhich connects the closing element 6 to the housing part 3 so that theclosing element 6 cannot be mislaid.

In FIG. 5 b, the housing 2 shown in FIGS. 1 c, 2 b and 2 c isrepresented schematically in a detailed view diagonally from above, theclosing element 6 now being open so that the contact element 5 is freelyaccessible.

In FIG. 6, the housing shown in FIGS. 2 d and 2 e is representedschematically in a detailed view, the closing element 6 being opened andthe contact element 5 configured as a plug being pulled out a littlefrom the housing 2. In addition, a Velcro element 29 on the closingelement 6 can be detected.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

1 shoe

2 housing

3 housing part

4 recess

5 electrical contact element

6 closing element

7 first connection element

8 second connection element

9 flange

10 carrier

11 upper edge of the recess

12 further recess

13 through-opening

14 electrical conductor

15 electrical device

16 energy store

17 heating element

18 control unit

19 operating part

20 first moulded part

21 flange

22 operating element

23 second moulded part

24 receiving means for the control unit

25 first retaining element

26 second retaining element

27 hole

28 control line

29 Velcro element

30 connection part

31 recessed grip

32 receiving region

33 retaining element

34 protective covering

1. Shoe (1) having an upper (10) and a sole, comprising: an electricaldevice (15) integrated in the shoe (1), having a control unit (18) forcontrolling the device (15), an operating part (19) connected to theupper (10) for manual operation of the control unit (18), an electricalcontact element (5), a housing (2) for the electrical contact element(5), the housing (2) including a housing part (3) which is connectedsecurely to the upper (10) and a closing element (6) which is connectedsecurely to the housing part (3), the closing element (6) being able tobe brought into a closed position in which the closing element (6)covers the contact element (5).
 2. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised inthat the closing element (6) has a first connection element (7) and thehousing part (3) has a second connection element (8) which can beconnected detachably to the first connection element (7) for fixing theclosing element (6) in the closed position.
 3. Shoe (1) of claim 1,characterised in that the housing part (3) has a receiving means (4) forreceiving the contact element (5) in the receiving means (4), thereceiving means (4) being closed by the closing element (6) if theclosing element (6) is situated in the closed position.
 4. Shoe (1) ofclaim 3, characterised in that the receiving means (4) is configured asa recess in the housing part (3).
 5. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterisedin that the housing part (3) has a flange (9), via which the housingpart (3) is connected securely to the upper (10), in particular bysewing, glueing or vulcanising.
 6. Shoe (1) of claim 5, characterised inthat an upper edge (11) of the receiving means (4) is disposed within aplane defined by the flange (9) or in that the upper edge (11) of thereceiving means (4) is disposed recessed relative to the flange (9) inthe housing part (3).
 7. Shoe (1) of claim 3, characterised in that thereceiving means (4) is shaped corresponding to the contact element (5)by means of a shape adaptation of the housing part (3) in the region ofthe receiving means (4) to an outer contour of the contact element (5).8. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the housing part (3)and/or the closing element (6) is manufactured from a flexible material,in particular from silicone.
 9. Shoe (1) of claim 2, characterised inthat the first connection element (7) of the closing element (6) and thesecond connection element (8) of the housing part (3) are configured ascorresponding locking elements which can be brought into a form-fitengagement for fixing the closing element (6) in the closed position.10. Shoe (1) of claim 2, characterised in that the first connectionelement (7) and/or the second connection element (8) comprise Velcroelements (29).
 11. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that theoperating part (19) and/or the housing (2), provided that the closingelement (6) is situated in the closed position, terminate flush with theupper (10) or protrude outwards beyond the upper (10) by no more than 5mm, preferably no more than 3 mm.
 12. Shoe (1) of claim 3, characterisedin that the receiving means (4) for the contact element (5) is disposedcompletely or at least partially below the upper (10).
 13. Shoe (1) ofclaim 1, characterised in that the operating part (19) has a receivingmeans (24) for the control unit (18) of the device (15), the receivingmeans (24) being disposed completely or at least partially below theupper (10).
 14. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that exclusivelydetachable connections exist both between the contact element (5) andthe housing (2) and also between the control unit (18) and the operatingpart (19), preferably exclusively form-fit and/or frictionalconnections, for simple, manual separability of the contact element (5)and of the control unit (18) from the upper (10).
 15. Shoe (1) of claim3, characterised in that a conductor (14) connected to the contactelement (5) is led through a through-opening in the housing part (3),the contact element (5) being removable manually from the receivingmeans (4), whilst maintaining the electrical connection between thecontact element (5) and the conductor (14).
 16. Shoe (1) of claim 1,characterised in that the contact element (5) is configured as a plugfor inserting the plug in a socket configured corresponding to the plug,in particular in a socket of an electrical voltage source for energysupply of the device (15).
 17. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised inthat the device (15) includes a heating device for heating the shoe,which device includes an electrical energy store which can be chargedvia the electrical contact element (5), in particular by means of anelectrical battery charger which can be connected to the contactelement.
 18. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the operatingpart (19) includes a first moulded part (20) which is connected securelyto the upper (1) and which has at least one operating element (22) foroperating the device (15) by means of the operating element (22), andthe operating part (19) including in addition a second moulded part (23)which has a receiving means (24) for a control unit (18) of the device(15) and being connectable to the first moulded part (20), the firstmoulded part (20) having at least one first retaining element (25) andthe second moulded part (23) having at least one second retainingelement (26), the two retaining elements (25, 26) being able to bebrought into mutual engagement for producing a detachable connectionbetween the first moulded part (20) and the second moulded part (23).19. Shoe (1.) of claim 18, characterised in that one of the at least onefirst retaining element (25) is configured as a rim, locking lug or beadwhich completely surrounds the first moulded part (20) or in that one ofthe at least one second retaining element (26) is configured as a rim,locking lug or bead which completely surrounds the second moulded part(23).
 20. Shoe (1) of claim 18, characterised in that the second mouldedpart (23) has a hole (27) for leading a control line (28) through thesecond moulded part (23).